SPLOST passes, FDES to remain open

Posted by
Staff Writer
in News
Wednesday, March 16. 2011
Comments (26)
By Jamie Gardner

On Tuesday, March 15, 3,289 votes were cast in the State of Georgia Special Election. On the ballot in Appling County were two special referendums, the countywide referendum to decide whether or not to continue the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) and the decision on Fourth District Elementary School’s fate to be closed or not closed.

SPLOST received 2,448 favorable votes, or 75.05 percent, to the measure and 814 voters opposed the continuation of the sales tax (or 24.95 percent). The 2012 SPLOST is expected to raise approximately $18,000,000.00 in new revenue for various projects throughout the community, with the majority of funds going to roads and bridges.

In what turned into a heated debate in the community, those in favor of keeping Fourth District Elementary open were winners at the end of Tuesday night after all votes had been counted. On the referendum, voters were asked the question whether or not they agreed with the Appling County Board of Education’s decision to close the school. If voters answered “yes”, that meant they agreed with the decision to close the school. A “No” vote meant the voter wished for the school to remain open. The total number of “No” votes was 1,734 (or 52.72 percent). The total that voted in favor of school closure (“Yes” votes) was 1,555 (47.28 percent). According to state law, the school must remain open for four years and school closure is not an option for the board of education during this time (O.C.G.A. 20-2-260 K. 1 (7)).
Bookmark and Share
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)
#1 Neal White on 03/16/11 at 11:44 AM [Reply]
I sure hope the people who voted to keep FDES open will pay my share of the extra taxes it will cost. Plus by being selfish , it will probably now cost some teachers their job! Because there will be some cuts!

A Concerned Tax Payer,
Neal White
#2 Concerned for ALL on 03/16/11 at 12:43 PM [Reply]
Pay cuts, cuts to sports programs (middle school football, softball, basketball etc.), and loss of teacher jobs in addition to higher taxes are just the beginning. Putting 124 students above the remaining 800+ students brings a new definition to word selfish. I sincerely hope the Board of Education begins with FDES when making these cuts.
#3 Concerned on 03/17/11 at 06:06 AM [Reply]
How is, keeping a school that has been open for decades, open putting 124 students above others. Also, how is this adding to the taxes you or I will be paying? Have we not been paying for FDES to stay open all these years as well? Why are we keeping Altamaha open if we should be closing FDES? I am not being biased I am just wanting some clarification to your stance. Also who in Baxley needed the new water park, when it’s citizens are concerned about the price of education for their children.
#3.1 Anonymous on 03/17/11 at 09:20 AM [Reply]
Because Altamaha is fully funded by the state!!
#3.1.1 Anonymous on 03/17/11 at 03:22 PM [Reply]
if you take the student that are bus there then would Altamaha be fully funded
#3.2 Anonymous on 03/17/11 at 09:22 AM [Reply]
Because Altamaha is fully funded by the state!! FDES does not have enough students to be fully funded.
#3.3 Anonymous on 03/17/11 at 09:30 AM [Reply]
No offense but you obviously do not understand how the funding works. FDES does not have enough students to be fully funded.
#4 Melissa Arnold on 03/17/11 at 12:48 PM [Reply]
When Fourth District school is costing just a very, very small piece of the BOE Budget and the "concerned tax payers" have already been paying taxes on Fourth District for years.I cannot see how they think that FDES is going to cost any extra taxes. It also blows me away that the "concerned Tax payers" seem to have absolutely no problem with closing an outstanding small school with National unsolicited recognition, while we are breaking ground at the Elementary and Middle school for additional wings. Please...Please...if there is any logic at all in this, I would like to hear it!

A concerned tax payer who thinks that Quality eduction is far more important that a few tax dollars--Melissa Arnold
#4.1 Anonymous on 03/17/11 at 02:01 PM [Reply]
The APCS is winning all the awards!Yes we have been paying 20 % of the taxes but now the state is not paying the 80% that they pay without the proper number of students enrolled at FDES!
#5 Concerned Citizen on 03/17/11 at 04:10 PM [Reply]
I just want to say that Fourth District is a small amount of the Board of Education's 30 million dollar budget. Less than 4% actually. People seem to think that our entire problems would have been solved by closing fourth district elementary school. Wrong.
Either way, Fourth District will continue to be blamed for being a good school, with awesome teachers, and national recognition, with less students than other schools in the county. All I have to say is that there are other ways to make cuts without eleminating things completely...and without eliminating a school. ALL schools in Appling County play a vital role in educating our children: ACPS, ACES, AES, ACMS, ACHS, AND FOURTH DISTRICT! All of these schools are what make our county so great...and to eliminate one is wrong. 52% of voters that voted do not mind this school staying open...so now it is time to work together to find the best solutions to financial problems...that will be fair to everyone. It is possible...but the question is: "Will we step up to the plate?" I hope the question is yes.
#6 Concerned Citizen and Parent on 03/17/11 at 07:31 PM [Reply]
All of the financial problems may not have been solved by closing FDES,however, it would help alot!!! Plus why should the other students and staff of Appling County have to do without for one school?? You want fair... then let's be fair to ALL not just to FDES!! No one is blaming FDES for being a good school or saying that FDES is not a good school and does not have awesome teachers but so do ALL the other schools in Appling County!!!! However, you make it sound as if the other schools in Appling County are not as good as FDES!! That is what is NOT TRUE!!
#6.1 Relieved Citizen and Parent on 03/18/11 at 12:36 AM [Reply]
In the race to save FDES, the merits of FDES were touted. That's because FDES was the issue at hand. No other school was in jeopardy. Why should the quality of any other school enter the conversation? It shouldn't. This was about good people trying to save a good school, for a bunch of great children. Other schools may be great. Hopefully the parents, children, and teachers of THOSE schools NEVER have to endure what the FDES community has endured(TWICE). If they do, I FULLY expect them to rally their troops and "toot their own horns."
#6.2 parent/teacher on 03/23/11 at 05:44 PM [Reply]
You are exactly right. All of the schools in Appling County are great. That wasn't the issue at all. It was about what was best for all! If Fourth District had closed, everyone would have been moved to town, students and teachers. And yes, the students would still have received an excellent education at a "supersized" school. Now we have some teachers scared that they will not have a job next year. There would still be some cuts but maybe not as drastic.
#7 Altamaha_Parent on 03/17/11 at 07:32 PM [Reply]
It is a pity to know that people would want to close down a school that is enriching a child's life and ensuring someone a job just for a little extra money in their pocket.
#8 children are our future on 03/18/11 at 12:24 PM [Reply]
Decrease executive pay, require children to go to school in their own neighborhood - problem solved!!
#9 Interested Observer and Citizen on 03/18/11 at 01:04 PM [Reply]
Several folks commented that FDES is not fully funded by the state because of the student enrollment numbers. I expect this might be a series of naive questions, but here they are... Is it not possible for the BOE to take steps to raise the enrollment at FDES so that it would qualify for state funding? If more fully utilizing the school facilities and personnel would take some of the load off the other schools and more equally distribute the cost per student allocation why wouldn't that be a good thing to pursue? Would something as simple as offering parents the option for their children to attend FDES via a bus transport from the in-town elementary complex be of value? What about creating a blue label committee of parents/educators to study creative/innovative ways for the county to better use the assets FDES provides the county? Sometimes complex problems often are solved by a series of simple solutions. Are there some available to us?
#9.1 Anonymous on 03/19/11 at 11:23 PM [Reply]
i completely agree with you. i am a former student of FDES and not to be biased but the staff at FDES is an awesome staff and i believe something should be done to fix the "problem" with funding. There are bonds and friendships made there because of the staff and due to smaller class numbers that can not be broken. Throughout my years in appling county schools the people from FDES always remained friends. I graduated years ago and still remain friends with many of my FDES peers. The funding should not be an issue if it is going to good use. The teachers are amazing and so loving and caring. No disrespect to other school teachers at all. But i remember my teachers and the atmosphere and i don't believe it can be found anywhere else. It may be old but sometimes new does not mean better. But the votes are in and now i think people need to stop fussing about the outcome and start coming up with a proper and adult solution and stop acting like children. Let's work together as a community and figure out a way to get FDES more funding so the "concerned taxpayers" can be happy along with the people who are happy it's staying open. I have meant no offense to anyone i just believe, as a former student, it is worth keeping open. Many of my teachers are still there and they deserve me standing up for them and asking for everyone to stand together and help their and my school. I love you all at FDES. You taught more than math and etc. You taught life, you taught friendship, kindness, love, you help all of us to be great people. YOU DESERVE ALL THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE. I hope many more can stand up and help you in any way possible and congrats.
#10 overpaid teachers on 03/20/11 at 12:45 PM [Reply]
I'm not exactly sure how teachers are paid (state vs county) but it seems to me that alot of money could be saved either way. Why do you need to be paid at a master degree or 6 yr degree pay scale for teaching at a primary, elementary or even middle school level? Whether it comes from state or county ,that money could be put to better use. How many teachers make 50k to 100k/yr(in primary and elementary)or more because of this?
#10.1 teacher on 03/23/11 at 05:32 PM [Reply]
Because we've earned it!!! Those that have earned higher degrees earned them. Why should we not get paid more money for getting more schooling? In addition, some have to pay back students loans anywhere from $200 to $400 a month. Do you think school is free? I don't think some know just how important and demanding being a school teacher can be. We're not babysitters. We are actually teaching these children to become productive citizens. It is a fun job but it is also challenging. I welcome anyone who thinks we don't deserve what we are paid to step in our shoes. It's pretty sad that some don't see the value of educators.
#10.1.1 anonymous on 03/25/11 at 09:54 AM [Reply]
So if you went to another state job you should get paid the same just because of a six year degree? It's crazy to pay someone 100k/yr to teach an elementary or primary grade level. Do you really need that to teach 2+2=4? I'm just saying the state could save a lot just by capping the pay scale acording to what you teach, not the degree. This would allow more money to go to things such as supplies which from what I hear, teachers have to get anyway. I do see the value in teachers and am thankful for those willing to teach. We as a society could not do without, but if you have the degree use it to its full potential and don't take advantage of the system.
#10.1.1.1 Anonymous on 03/30/11 at 12:17 PM [Reply]
What you need to do is spend 7 - 10 hours a day with some of today's kids and you may think teachers earn every penny!!
Lots of jobs pay you according to your education. You're right, we're broke, teachers even have to buy supplies for kids, so do we need to cut their pay!! Come on...wake up!
#10.1.2 Anonymous on 03/30/11 at 12:04 PM [Reply]
Amen...I teach at the middle school and all I can say is "Come get you some of this!"
#11 Marshall Black on 03/21/11 at 12:28 AM [Reply]
I personally voted to keep Fourth Distrist open just because closing the school would cause a problem with overcrowding and some kids might not get the one on one that they need and deserve! FDES is a great school with great teachers! When it comes to our kids , a few dollars here and there is a small price to pay and if funding is such a big deal why not take some money from SPLOST to offset some of the funding!our roads aren't the greatest anyway but our kids and our culture are so in the grand scheme of things which is really more important!It very well could be one of your kids that get left behind if FDES closed, I know cuts have got to be made but let's look elsewhere besides our kids education besides the extra taxes will be a tax write-off anyway!
#11.1 Mabel on 03/30/11 at 10:50 AM [Reply]
FDES appears to be a private school funded by tax payer's dollars. FDES is predominantly "White" and consists of a faculty of 100% Caucasian teachers and administrators. MMMMM. I wonder why this is the case? This school should have closed!! Since this school is to remain open and funded by all taxpayer's dollars, I say the BOE should balance the student/teacher ratio by transporting 300 of our African American children over there for this priceless education and see if the Fourth District community cries for the school to close. Something to think about BOE!!
#12 Anonymous on 03/23/11 at 10:55 AM [Reply]
Yeah, I see....it's OBAMA's fault!! :)
#13 Anonymous on 03/31/11 at 12:33 AM [Reply]
FDES is not about race! I had many black students in my classes when i was there and even black teachers. And everyone, teachers and students, were all treated equally. They got the same respect and same education. So if you feel that is the issue you are totally off base and out of line. If you went there or visited you would see that race doesn't matter. so you round up your 300 black students and send them there please. that would solve the number of students problem for funding and cut off racial comments. From attending FDES, i can truely say the students there were actually LESS racist than those who attending other Appling county schools. All blacks and whites got along and there were no community "statuses" we were concerned with even 10 + years ago unlike other schools. So load up the 300 students and enroll them there. They will be treated more equally there anyway. Unlike most beliefs FDES is not some redneck hillbilly school in the woods. It is a great school with great non racist teachers that teach and treat the students great. So do not speak on behalf of the teachers perfermance or the students education if you never attended the school. Because you do not know the atmosphere not the racial preferences of the school. And the teachers at that school put forth the time and effort to deserve any and all money they recieve. my former teachers were Mrs, C Eunice. Mrs. Lightsey, Mrs. Sharp, Mrs. Strickland. All were well worth the money they were paid. Mr. Herrington and Ms. Taylor taught my sisters also and they are not to be forgotten. Bravo to all of you and i hope you continue to do well and keep it open. You should not have to fight and defend yourselves. This is ridiculous. Its a bunch of ppl who no nothing of FDES. You all keep your heads up and keep doing a wonderful job. Thank you mrs taylor for keepin me updated on the voting when i seen you in Wal mart lol.
Add Comment
E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.
CAPTCHA

 
   
 
Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.
 
Content copyright ©The Baxley News-Banner